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Rainey Daye #1

Clam Chowder and a Murder

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Rainey knew two things…

Celia was a mean gossip.

Everyone had reason to kill her.

But will Rainey or her mother, Mary Ann, be accused of Celia’s death? Celia had made it clear how much she disliked Mary Ann Daye. Did Mary Ann feel her only relief from Celia’s lies was to kill her?

Rainey needs to find out the truth about who killed Celia Markson, even if that means implicating the people she’s closest to.

You’ll love this culinary cozy mystery because everyone loves an amateur detective trying to do what’s right.

126 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2018

122 people are currently reading
315 people want to read

About the author

Kathleen Suzette

167 books101 followers

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5 stars
105 (41%)
4 stars
90 (35%)
3 stars
41 (16%)
2 stars
16 (6%)
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0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Harmony.
417 reviews7 followers
April 18, 2021
This book wasn't horrible but it needed some work.

The 35 year old FMC, Rainey, is emotionally high maintenance. She literally freaks out over every single tiny thing. It was exhausting reading her. She has constant melt downs. She has the maturity level and coping skills of a child.

She and her mother are the bumbling detective's prime suspects. Why? Because they had an argument with the town gossip that everybody hated. Sure they may have had motive but there was no evidence, none, pinning this to them. The mother handled it all coolly because she knew she was innocent. The daughter freaked out constantly and acted like she was guilty. I rolled my eyes so much over all of this.

Rainey was a successful cookbook author with 3 best selling books. She had her own morning show in NYC. So we are to believe that she went from that to being so broke that she has to live with her mother and work part-time at a diner as a waitress? While her cheating ex-husband who is a big-time publisher lives high on the hog? RIGHT? That's totally plausible *massive eye roll*.

The mystery itself wasn't bad. It could have been interesting if the author hadn't worked so hard to make it seem like Rainey and her mother were suspects. It destroyed the whole story because there is no way in heck any detective would ever believe it.

The side characters in the town were wretched. Their whole purposed seemed to be to accuse Rainey of being a murderer or cast suspicion on her and her mother. I kept thinking "with friends like these who needs enemies?" I did not find any of them charming. I actually didn't like them or the town.
682 reviews2 followers
June 20, 2018
Jealous Ex's are deadly!!!!

10 stars!!
Rainey and her mother were caught in a mess with the town vicious gossip. Celia was the town gossip spreading stories about people she shouldn't have.
There is a new detective in town that is in charge of the case of what happened to Celia at the diner Rainey worked at.
Who knew flower shops are that competitive.
You will like the book a lot.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
1,152 reviews8 followers
August 10, 2024
This is the first in the series. The main character is Rainey Daye. Rainey is recently divorced and moved back home. While she was married she wrote 3 cookbooks and did some baking on a morning news show. Back and all she seems to do waitress. Then she has a problem with a customer who ends up dead in her car next to Rainey's car. Now she is trying to figure out who did it because it sure wasn't her or her mother. Can she figure it out before it's too late to save herself?
Profile Image for Donna.
1,168 reviews4 followers
August 13, 2021
Quick fast mini cozy mystery. A small town with a diner a central location for the town. There is a woman who is a difficult person. She is poisoned supposedly by the Clam chowder. Several suspects including Rainey and her mother. The detective being new to the community as well. I was unsure from the beginning who did it.
Profile Image for R.
845 reviews5 followers
April 8, 2022
I really love this author's cozy mysteries. I read a later one in this series, and I wanted to go back and start it from the beginning. These are really great little reads. They're easy, light, fun, and just exactly what I want from a cozy mystery. I highly recommend them for a light little cozy mystery read!
Profile Image for heidi  canton.
172 reviews1 follower
March 28, 2024
Well that makes more sense. Unfortunately I began this series by mistake with the 9th volume and really needed the back story of Rainey and Cade. Much easier to understand the dynamic now. This was a nice quick read. I found the ending abrupt but otherwise enjoyed this cozy. These titles and the food descriptions though, speak happily to my love of diner food. Bon appétit!
55 reviews
March 29, 2018
Good beginnings,but needing more fleshing out.

Good idea, but needed more details with more suspense. We need to know more about Stormy 's previous life and problem. Perhaps give us some of her recipes would add some interest. This book was too short.
Profile Image for Joni.
658 reviews
September 20, 2020
Good

A smart aleck former celebrity baker now a waitress in a diner, Rainey Daye solves the mystery of the dead pain in the butt customer. This was a good book and now I have to see if there is a second one.
Profile Image for Morgan.
115 reviews
August 10, 2024
This had the makings of being a good book. I liked the writing style and the story, but the ending came too quickly. There was a long (in comparison to total length) build up and then it was solved and ended. Just would have liked more.
Profile Image for E.
1,871 reviews
March 6, 2023
Good

Really enjoyed the first book in this series. It is a great introduction to the main characters and the small town they live in. I look forward to reading more.
264 reviews1 follower
April 2, 2023
I really liked it, but it was way too short. More of a novella than a book. It seemed to end abruptly, I would have been happy to read more chapters.
Profile Image for Andy.
1,870 reviews
June 25, 2024
This was an ok mystery. The main problem was that some of the choices made by the characters did not make sense even for a cozy mystery. Overall, a quick read.
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews53 followers
July 21, 2018
Not exactly a go getter heroine.

An okay read but could have done more on the investigating side. The characters are fully developed but found Rainey to be a bit of a wimp. However the plot was good until the end were it fizzled out.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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